How would you go about making only the hands and the piano visible?

[SmashingDan]

Dear community members and more experienced users,

The title says it: I want to remove the background, so that only the piano and my hands are visible. The problem I seem to encounter, is that the greenish carpet doesn't seem to be that different in color so that I can isolate it and reduce it from the rest of the video. Any other approach I can take?

Thanks!

Dan

[Andy 1968]

I imagine you might have to do some tedious rotoscoping.

[Peru Bob]

...in After Effects.

[SmashingDan]

Thanks buddy I'm going to look into it

[salvo34]

basically impossible to do due to motion of arms and rug ( you want to have legs or not ? ). Huge headache to do what you want and so I would forget it and redesign the whole frame ( your product ).  Just mask out the part that is totally static ( the piano keys ). Then you can add cartoons, music score, other things above and below the keyboard as you like ( upper video levels like you have in timeline ).

[SmashingDan]

Thanks buddy appreciate the input, for next time I think I'll use a green screen on the bottom, or a black cloth to make it all dark except for the hands, which will make them seem to float (I did this in another video), this is what it looked like not too shabby ay 

[Graeme Bull · Accepted solution]

That's a really cool effect! I think to summarize this thread, the options available to you are if it's a locked off shot:

1. Mask out everything other than the keys, your hands will show

2. Use black cloth under your hands and light the hands and keyboard area to then use levels to "mask out" or fade out the rest

3. Use a greenscreen.

4. Rotoscope

[salvo34]

That looks really pretty. I like how the hands blend into dark so it's not so sudden ( like chopping off hands at the wrist which would be the mask I suggested. Basically the same thing but you did a nice job the way you did that sample you posted.

Good going !

🙂

[SmashingDan]

Thank you!! I guess I'll change my setup for next time, for now I'm gonna keep the rug 😛